Looking for a way to keep the weight off for good and not gain it back?

When you finally reach your weight loss goal, it’s definitely going to be a huge accomplishment and an even bigger reason to celebrate and do something nice for yourself.

But the battle isn’t over when you hit the mark that you set out for yourself, whether that would be reaching a certain number on the scale or being able to fit into that coveted clothes size that you have been chasing relentlessly for the longest time.

The truth is, losing the initial pounds is actually the easy part.

It’s maintaining your weight loss and making it permanent that is going to be the hardest part of the process, and where most people end up failing.

Many people are even able to lose weight very quickly, but most of them are unable to maintain it and end up going right back to where they started.

So after you have achieved your goal, the next big task on the agenda is figuring out how to maintain your weight loss for the long term.

In this article, we’re going to cover 7 of the most important keys to keeping your weight off for good.

Follow these principles and you’ll soon find yourself way ahead of the pack.

Why Can’t You Maintain Your Weight Loss?

So why do so many people fail at maintaining the gains that they have made?

First off, let’s take a look at why so many people can’t keep the weight off once they lose the initial pounds they set out.

Since there are a lot of people who just don’t want to go to the gym, the majority of people who lose weight make the mistake of do so by going on a typical diet.

But most of the fad diet programs out there can be considered crash diets.

And a lot of these plans really do work, due to the principles that they are based on, which is calorie restriction.

But people tend to get exhausted and burned out easily when doing the typical crash diet program and so the success is short lived.

The worst part is, after calling it quits they end up eating even more than they did in the first place and gain back even more weight in a very short time.

1. Keep Tabs on Your Weight

Yes, there are people out there who become obsessed with the scale and weight themselves way too often.

If you are one of those people who is stepping on the scale three times a day, then that is way too much.

But on the other hand, there are those out there who dread getting on the scale and therefore take too long between weigh-ins.

The key is to take your weight once a week on the same day at the same time.

This helps to hold you accountable, lets you know where you are at in relation to your goal weight and gives you the motivation to work harder the upcoming week.

2. Quitting Is Not An Option

People who lose the weight and keep it off for the long term don’t buy into the concept of quitting.

In essence, failure is not an option.

When the going gets rough, successful dieters keep going, and they go harder and do everything it takes.

Make a commitment to losing the weight and then to continue on your program indefinitely.

Once you have committed yourself, you will find the determination to stay on track, even when you have hit a plateau in your progress.

3. Loosen Up

Sometimes people get an addiction to certain types of foods, whether sweets, breads, cereals or fried foods, which sometimes may seem to become impossible to break out of.

But you may not have to give up your favorite foods entirely.

The key to long term weight loss is not to deny yourself your favorite treats forever.

Not letting yourself indulge every once in a while is a sure recipe for failure. So, every so often, let loose and treat yourself to one of your favorite meals or deserts.

They key is to keep your indulgences in moderation and under control. When you do, dieting will become a breeze and will seem easier than ever.

4. Exercise At Least an Hour a Day

Don’t buy into the fallacy that all you need is 20 minutes of activity to lose weight and keep it off.

Yes, there are those gifted ones out there who do benefit from short bouts of exercise, but for the majority of those who are overweight, you are going to need a little bit more in order to boost your metabolism.

Daily activity is somewhat non-existent in this day and age, since people seem to practically live their life through social media on the Internet.

So make it a point to get in at least an hour of vigorous activity every day.

Some of the best workouts for speeding up your metabolism involve weight training, but there are many other programs and classes out there that you can do.

5. Combine Exercise With Diet

More people will opt for dietary changes because they don’t like the pain of working out, so they skip the gym.

In order to maintain your weight loss for the long term, you must combine a healthy diet with a regular metabolic boosting exercise program.

Exercise is what is going to help you burn those extra calories off, get those six pack abs and then be able to maintain the progress that you have made.

Exercising consistently is also great for overall health and wellness, helping to keep your heart and lungs healthy and strong.

6. Watch Those Carbs

The trend in weight loss diets is definitely going to be taking a low-carb approach.

So many people have had great success losing fat by limiting their carbohydrate intake that it makes perfect sense to follow suit.

Low-carb doesn’t mean no-carb so be aware of the difference.

There are many weight loss programs out there that restrict carbohydrates completely such as a Ketogenic diet, but there are others that rely on lower carb sources that are rich in leafy greens and vegetables.

Either way, this is a great approach for long term weight loss and can help to make the process a breeze.

7. Eat Smaller Frequent Meals

Eating smaller more frequent meals can help you to avoid binging on foods that you are not supposed to be eating.

The big problem that people run into when trying to lose weight is they experience extreme hunger and then head to grab something that they can eat immediately.

That usually means some kind of ready to eat junk that is high in sugar and fat.

When you are eating smaller meals throughout the day, you won’t have to deal with excessive hunger because you will be eating so often and your appetite will be under control.

And when you do get hungry, you always know that you have a meal coming up so you won’t be tempted to eat something that you know you shouldn’t.

They key is proper planning and once you plan your daily meals, sticking to your diet plan will be as easy as it gets.

Conclusion

So there you have it; 7 great ways to maintain your weight loss after you have put in all of the hard work to lose it in the first place.

Remember, nothing is going to be effortless, so no matter how you choose to lose weight, it is going to take some hard work on your part. But the good news is that it is definitely going to be well worth it.

Maintain these simple rules and see how maintaining your weight loss can actually be pretty easy!

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